Hanoi Train Street - A Must-See Unique Residential Railway

Hanoi Train Street, are you finding a hidden place called: Hanoi Train Street? It is one of the most interesting places to see the local daily life of Hanoians. Let AZ Local Trip share with you all about Hanoi Train Street including address, map, time and location.

Let's see more detailed information for Train Street in Hanoi from

What? Where? and When? to Hanoi Train Street

Do not hesitate contact us if you need a buddy in your journey to explore the Hanoi Local Life!

What is Hanoi Train Street?

Hanoi Train Street is a residential street in Hanoi, Vietnam that a speeding train passes straight through twice a day.

The street is so narrow that all residents must ensure their bikes and precious personal belongings, as well as their roaming children, are all safely inside the house before the train passes.

It is simply defined as “A Street Has A Train Track Through It” by Huffingtonpost.

To you as Europeans, this really is a kind of urban phenomenon. Hanoi Train Street is a narrow street within the centre of Hanoi.

Rather than being a normal road with car or motorbike traffic, it has actual real railway lines running through it. Homes and businesses literally open out onto the railway lines.

For the most part, the locals who live and move through there go about their day as with any other Hanoi street. Motorbikes zoom up and down the side of the railway lines.

Local ladies cook delicious smelling foods, crouched over their seasoned cooking pots and surrounded by bundles of herbs and other fresh ingredients. Kids run around, crossing the tracks to each others houses. Animals snooze peacefully in the daytime sun.

However, at certain times of the day, everything gets cleared away from the tracks and all the locals disappear indoors or stand pressed back from the track. The train from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh will zoom through at high speed, and then everything goes back to normal as if nothing had happened.

Why you should visit terrifying Hanoi Train Street?

Visitting Hanoi Train Street in Hanoi is one of best things to do in Hanoifor every tourists who thrive to learn and explore Hanoi local life.

While discovering this unique place, you will:

Be surprised by the peace, the normal attitude of locals here living next to the railways.

Be deeply immersed yourself in local side of busy and exciting Hanoi

Take amazing pictures for the trip

Where is Hanoi Train Street?

Hanoi Train street, as we like to call it, is located between Le Duan and Kham Thien street in Hanoi’s old quarter. You can find it on Google Maps or simply look at the maps I have made below. The show where the tiny residential street is, and how to get there from either the Old Quarter or from the train station.

Family relaxing, kids playing, running around Hanoi Train Street. If you’re planning to travel in Hanoi for a few weeks, need help or information to discover the local experience and culture in Hanoi? Visit AZ Local Trip to get the helpful information and tips!

When to visit Hanoi Train Street?

It is really important for all of us both local travelers or foreigners to get the right time here to see the train passing by.

Hanoi Train Street Schedule: The train will only pass through this tiny street 2 times per day. It is at 3:15 PM and 7:30 PM.

You should come here earlier, wandering the street, enjoy the peaceful moment of Hanoi and take the most beautiful picture to keep your Hanoi memory. It is the reason for the question: Why is Hanoi The Best City in South East Asia?

“Suddenly we heard the train tooting its horn and coming flying in our direction…. we literally had to jump off the tracks and stand almost pinned against a wall. Even the locals were making crazy hand movements, telling us to get back further which was a little scary. The train literally passed by within a few inches of us, as you can see from the angle of the video I took below!!” - shared by a tourist in Hanoi

Safety

Hopefully it goes without saying that these are legit trains, and not to be messed with. They will not and CANNOT stop if you overstay your time on the tracks. It’s never going to be worth the photo, so don’t be stupid. Find a spot at the side of the track and let it pass by without putting anyone in danger (don’t do like some silly tourists we saw and stand in the middle of the track for as long as possible).

Local life in Hanoi Train Street

The Hanoi train street is only about 500 meters long, but there are many households living in this area for a long period of time. Houses, old and new, coming in different colors from dark to light, make the whole street look like a beautiful water-color painting.

Apart from generations of Hanoians, the residents here also consist of people from other places getting to Hanoi in search of jobs. Therefore, the life in this unique train street is quite diverse and you can notice a mix of lifestyles here.

Tuan, who has spent more than a quarter of his life living inches away from the train track, told me that the biggest difficulty when living here is having no frontage to start a business.

"Apart from that, there is nothing to complain about. To be honest, this place has its perks. There are several things we enjoy better than people living in other places. You don't have to deal with traffic congestion or polluted air. The train goes by a few times in the morning and more in the evening, but we don't find it a nuisance. People here have been very used to it".

The special "playground" of the local people

There is another special thing. When the high pitched screeching of wheels on the track gradually rises to a crescendo, local people, as a habit, pop their heads out to check whether there is someone lingering over the railway. If you are standing too close to the track, it's very likely that a local will shout to you to alert.

Photographing the street

As much of a simply routine as train driving past merely inches away from the doorstep is for those living here, it's a novelty for all foreign visitors. This unique Hanoi train street has become a favorite photo-taking spot of both local citizens and international tourists who are looking for an inspiration

"Street photography is always a challenge in many ways. You often can’t anticipate what happens next and sometimes you have a specific scene in your mind and then you wait until it occurs. On the other hand, you often have to be very quick and take your picture before a special occasion has already passed and you have missed the best moment for a great picture. It has been a very challenging but absolutely fascinating experience!" - said an American photographer whom I had a chance to be his tour guide in Hanoi City Tour.

It could be a bit daunting when you fail to see the train at the first attempt, but don't give up. Although the train is not always go past the street at the exact time on the timetable, you will definitely catch sight of it in the evening anyway. Bring along your food as you might be hungry. When you see the train, I promise you it's worth your time!

Soooo Why don't you go here and take some pictures to keep the beautiful memories?

Watching local people sit in the middle of the tracks with their neighbours, playing checkers and drinking tea?

Watching kids running up and down, playing games while an older lady is watering her plants in a flower box outside her house?

Need help or a buddy to capture the moment in Hanoi and explore Local Experience, contact us AZ Local Trip!

Tran Duy Hưng 2018-11-28

Martin is a wonderful guide and he really made hiking up Table Mountain a great experience.
Not only did he take us up challenging (in a good way) path with breathtaking views,
but we also saw hardly any other tourists (I know we were tourists ourselves, but you get my idea),
which was really noticeable once we got to the top of the mountain, where you couldn't find one private spot to take a nice picture.
He is a fun and warm person to be around and you can yell that he enjoys his job and being outdoors.
Loved it and would do it all over again!!! Thank you Martin!!!

Martin is a wonderful guide and he really made hiking up Table Mountain a great experience.
Not only did he take us up challenging (in a good way) path with breathtaking views,
but we also saw hardly any other tourists (I know we were tourists ourselves, but you get my idea),
which was really noticeable once we got to the top of the mountain, where you couldn't find one private spot to take a nice picture.
He is a fun and warm person to be around and you can yell that he enjoys his job and being outdoors.
Loved it and would do it all over again!!! Thank you Martin!!!

Martin is a wonderful guide and he really made hiking up Table Mountain a great experience.
Not only did he take us up challenging (in a good way) path with breathtaking views,
but we also saw hardly any other tourists (I know we were tourists ourselves, but you get my idea),
which was really noticeable once we got to the top of the mountain, where you couldn't find one private spot to take a nice picture.
He is a fun and warm person to be around and you can yell that he enjoys his job and being outdoors.
Loved it and would do it all over again!!! Thank you Martin!!!

Martin is a wonderful guide and he really made hiking up Table Mountain a great experience.
Not only did he take us up challenging (in a good way) path with breathtaking views,
but we also saw hardly any other tourists (I know we were tourists ourselves, but you get my idea),
which was really noticeable once we got to the top of the mountain, where you couldn't find one private spot to take a nice picture.
He is a fun and warm person to be around and you can yell that he enjoys his job and being outdoors.
Loved it and would do it all over again!!! Thank you Martin!!!

Martin is a wonderful guide and he really made hiking up Table Mountain a great experience.
Not only did he take us up challenging (in a good way) path with breathtaking views,
but we also saw hardly any other tourists (I know we were tourists ourselves, but you get my idea),
which was really noticeable once we got to the top of the mountain, where you couldn't find one private spot to take a nice picture.
He is a fun and warm person to be around and you can yell that he enjoys his job and being outdoors.
Loved it and would do it all over again!!! Thank you Martin!!!

Martin is a wonderful guide and he really made hiking up Table Mountain a great experience.
Not only did he take us up challenging (in a good way) path with breathtaking views,
but we also saw hardly any other tourists (I know we were tourists ourselves, but you get my idea),
which was really noticeable once we got to the top of the mountain, where you couldn't find one private spot to take a nice picture.
He is a fun and warm person to be around and you can yell that he enjoys his job and being outdoors.
Loved it and would do it all over again!!! Thank you Martin!!!